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One of those was William Shrewsbury Primary School, in Church Road, Stretton.

Headteacher Bernadette Hunter said pupil safety was "paramount" after the snow started to fall.

She said: "It is always a very difficult decision to close a school and not one that any school leader takes lightly.

"However, the health and safety of our pupils and staff is paramount.

"Despite the best endeavours of our site staff this morning we could not keep the entrance paths and playgrounds clear because of the heavy and ongoing snow.

Snow in Barton

"Our risk assessment showed that it was too dangerous to open the site today. We appreciate that this will have an impact on working parents but we trust that everyone will understand that we have to prioritise children’s safety."

On the roads, the A515, in Newborough, was shut for at least six hours after a mobile crane overturned.

Staffordshire Police confirmed that a second crane was used to get the road open again and the driver was uninjured.

A diversion had been put in place at around 7am after the crane overturned near the junction of the B5234 and A515.

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The poor conditions on the roads also saw bin collections cancelled to avoid the risk of lorries skidding on the ice.

Brandon, Jacob and Theresa Wakefield

Bosses at East Staffordshire Borough Council said the trucks were "vulnerable to skidding" and had the potential to cause "considerable damage".

In a statement on its website, an East Staffordshire Borough Council spokesman said: "Today's severe weather has disrupted the council's waste collection service across the borough and we are unable to safely reach all households.

"Unfortunately this type of severe weather does have an impact on our service as refuse vehicles are vulnerable to skidding, with the potential to cause considerable damage.

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Importantly, the crisis and homeless charity has set up a winter night shelter for rough sleepers.

Each night up to Saturday, March 31, homeless people can go to St Paul's church, next to Burton Town Hall, for somewhere warm and safe to stay. They can also speak with volunteers about getting help.

Meals are served at 8pm, with light breakfasts in the mornings from 7am and 8.30am.

Health services in Burton and South Derbyshire continued as normal, with advisors warning patients to take extra care when travelling to and from Queen's Hospital.

Snow in Burton Town Centre

A spokesman for the hospital trust said: "The trust is continuing with its services and its business as usual.

"As the Met Office has placed the area in a yellow warning we are asking patients, visitors and staff to be extra-careful as they travel to and from the hospital over the next few days.

"We would also like to thank our estates teams for their hard work clearing the snow, and to all of our other staff members for continuing to deliver fantastic care despite the difficult conditions."

Keen to ensure the cold temperatures do not stop their battle against relegation from the Championship, Burton Albion bosses said Sheffield United were monitoring their ground, Bramall Lane, ahead of the clash between the two sides on Saturday, March 3.